Riverside County pastor killed, wife injured in Venezuela earthquakes after hotel collapse

A Riverside County pastor was killed and his wife was injured when their hotel collapsed during the pair of powerful earthquakes that struck near Caracas, Venezuela, last week. 

Romildo Delima, who led Worship Church Ministries in Riverside for the last two decades, is being remembered by congregants and friends as a special person. 

"We will miss him all the time. He's like a best friend for me," said Miguel Gonzalez-Mateo, a friend and fellow pastor. "We feel so sad in all the congregation. We must pray for the family,"

Gonzalez-Mateo said that the community just learned over the weekend that Pastor Romildo died when the Caracas hotel where he and his wife were staying collapsed after 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck on Wednesday, June 24. 

Now, neighbors and friends are re-listening to past voicemails and sharing photos to remember Delima. 

I don't have many words right now, because I'm very surprised of the news," said one congregant. "I'm very sad."

One of Delima's sons briefly spoke with CBS LA, saying that they're overwhelmed and now rushing to find visas so they can travel to Venezuela. He said that Delima, a father of two and grandfather of three, and his wife had gone to Brazil to visit family a few weeks ago and then traveled to Venezuela to celebrate his 69th birthday. 

When the earthquake struck, Delima's son said that his father was struck by a falling wall. He was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries. His wife suffered a broken leg and hip, which required surgery.

As they work to help them both back to the United States, they've started an online fundraiser to help cover expenses. It can be found by searching for the keywords: "Help Bring Romildo Home and His Wife Surgeries."